Cyanoacrylates have found use as liquid adhesive bandages, particularly butyl and octyl cyanoacrylates (U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,593; U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,805). These materials provide hemostasis with quick film formation and they are especially useful for closing thin wounds, such as those created by paper or razor cuts. Wounds that are in high flex areas are not suitable for treatment with cyanoacrylates as they tend to increase scarring, if well adhered, or to delaminate quickly, if not well adhered, due to their intrinsic brittleness. Polydimethylsiloxanes have been blended with cyanoacrylates to increase flexibility and elasticity (U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,667, U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,593, U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,084). Cyanoacrylates have low moisture vapor transmission rates and, hence, do not allow water vapor to equilibrate at the wound site to allow for optimum wound healing. Cyanoacrylates are also known for their ability to adhere two surfaces together quickly, which is a benefit for many surgical and repair applications but is problematic for use as a hemostatic agent or a liquid adhesive bandage where the user does not desire to adhere two biological surfaces or to another object, e.g. finger to finger or foot to floor.
Additionally, cyanoacrylate monomers when used as liquid adhesive bandages have been found to cause patient discomfort when applied to the skin as polymerization rapidly occurs when placed on a wet surface, generating heat. In addressing this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,714 discloses a biocompatible monomer (preferably a cyanoacrylate) with an effective amount of a heat dissipating liquid or solid to reduce the exothermic polymerization temperature of the cyanoacrylate. For the heat dissipating liquids cited, which include ethers, ketones, chlorofluorocarbons, alkanes, alcohols, alkenes and mixtures thereof, each of these organic solvents would cause stinging or irritation on an open wound, thus compromising their use in providing patient comfort and enhanced health. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,714 discloses that the solvents employed do not affect the polymerization rate of the monomer. Thus, these solvents do not decrease the polymerization rate, and therefore do not mitigate the rapid release of heat over time as the monomer polymerizes.
A category of liquid adhesive bandage has included non-hemostatic alkylsiloxysiloxane-containing polymers admixed with liquid polydimethylsiloxanes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,812 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,893) which provide non-stinging, non-irritating coating materials that allow body fluid evaporation and oxygen transport, while protecting the body surface from further contamination and desiccation. In another variation, alkylsiloxysiloxane-containing polymers are admixed with isooctane to provide similar coating properties (U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,502). These coatings have the common disadvantages of loss of adhesion toward hydrated surfaces, loss of adhesion in higher flexibility areas such as knuckles or knees, and no hemostatic capability.
Another category of polymer useful as a liquid adhesive bandage with no hemostatic activity, cycloalkyl methacrylate copolymers, has been found to be soluble in a mixture of liquid polydimethylsiloxanes, iso-octane and isododecane (U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,503).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,093 discloses the use of 50% cyanoacrylate monomer, 25% polydimethylsiloxanes and 25% 3-methacryloxypropyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane (TRIS) monomer as an adhesive formulation for nonsurgical blepheroplasty. This composition raises toxicity and irritation issues as TRIS monomer is applied directly on the eyelid to prepare the surface prior to application of the cyanoacrylate bonding agent.